HSK Guide

guānto close, to shut; to turn off; to concern, to involve; a pass, a barrier, a customs post

guān (first tone, high and level)

繁体:

to close, to shut; to turn off; to concern, to involve; a pass, a barrier, a customs post

6 画部首 词频 #131

拼音

  • guān (first tone, high and level)

to close, to shut; to turn off; to concern, to involve; a pass, a barrier, a customs post

字形拆解

Ideographic description

⿱丷天The sequence reads left to right and describes how the parts are arranged.

Mnemonic

The traditional 關 shows a gate 門 with the bar and the cord that lock it. Simplification kept only the fastening and threw the gate away, which is why the modern six strokes look like a sky under two dots and why the character is left unfiled here. Everyday: 关门, 关上, 关灯 — and 关系, a relationship, literally what ties two parties together.

A memory aid written by HSK Guide editors. It is not an etymology and does not describe the historical origin of the character.